ARTICLES

March 27, 2013

Tom Runcie’s Trip to Chamonix with Glen Plake and Team Julbo

Sundog from Aiguille du Plan

Words by Tom Runcie

When I found out I had earned a trip to spend a week with skiing icon Glen Plake in his adopted winter home of Chamonix, France, I was breathless.  For nearly three decades Plake has been a true hero of the ski world, excelling in every area of the sport.  From his impressive entrance in Greg Stump’s ski films The Maltese Flamingo and Blizzard of AAhhhs to his 2011 performance in The Ordinary Skier he has shown a level of competence  and respect in the mountains that sets him apart in the industry.  To get the chance to follow him around the incredible terrain of the Mont Blanc Massif and share in his passion for these mountains would truly be the experience of a lifetime.

As I rode into Chamonix on March 9 I gaped upward.  The sheer size and in-your face vertical gain of the Mont Blanc Massif is jaw dropping the first time you see it, and the effect is not quick to wear off.  Everywhere I looked massive glaciers could be seen weaving their way down the steep north face of the Massif, often ending precariously in blue ice seracs many hundreds of feet tall.

Sunset from Refuge des Cosmiques

Sunset from Refuge des Cosmiques

After a few days of fighting the weather and staying on closer objectives, we decided to use Wednesday and Thursday for a more involved excursion.  Wednesday morning we were joined by renowned freeskier, mountain guide, and fellow Julbo athlete Samuel Anthamatten.  We spent the morning exploring Brevent, another ski area with a lift right in the center of town.  Brevent is across the valley from the Aiguille du Midi lift and ascends the Aiguilles Rouges, the next range to the north of the Massif.  Snow and light were not on our side, but we were able to find our way to the couloir Bellin, a 4,500’ run that ends right at the bottom of the gondola in town.  We took a short break in the afternoon and packed some extra gear, then loaded the last tram of the day up the Aiguille du Midi.  With the tram car entirely to ourselves we left town under cloudy skies, but at about 3000m elevation we broke through the cloud layer and into one of the most spectacular scenes I have ever experienced.  As far as the eye could see to the North, East, and West stretched an unbroken sea of clouds, lit by the afternoon sun.  The Mont Blanc Massif stood proud, the only island tall enough to split the clouds.  We traversed under the summit to the Refuge des Cosmiques where we were to stay for the night.  We found the refuge as empty as the tram had been and quickly moved to the west facing terrace to take in the sunset.  We looked in awe as the sun sank into a bed of clouds, turning the whole alpine world pink and orange.  As the last bits of color faded from the sky and the crescent moon appeared above the horizon, we sat to take in the marvel of the European mountain refuge.  A veritable hotel for mountain travellers, the Cosmiques sleeps 120 people and offers guests clean, warm accommodations, as well as a hot dinner made by the live-in guard de refuge.  We enjoyed fresh bread, couscous with giant shrimp, and blueberry bread pudding for dessert while we made our plan for the morning.

Aiguille du Midi (right) and Plan (left)

Aiguille du Midi (right) and Plan (left)

We woke at 4:30am to a continental breakfast that would be the envy of most hotels in the US, and to clear cold skies and a still unbroken ocean of cloud covering the valleys to the North.  After making our way back to the Midi ridge we skied towards our objective, the Aiguille du Plan.  The Plan is the first in a string of impressive steep, rocky peaks that tower over the town of Chamonix (Aiguille means needle).  An easy climbing objective compared to many of the others, it offers 270º of vertical exposure, falling abruptly 8000’ to the Chamonix valley to the North and 5000’ to the end of the Mer du Glace glacier to the East.  The summit itself is only about three feet by six feet, and vertical on all sides.  We scrambled up the 150’ corkscrew route the to top of the summit pillar, leaving our skis at the snowy slope below.  The five in our group crowded onto the tiny chunk of rock to take in the views and celebrate the successful climb.  The Plan was certainly the most impressive summit we shared during the trip; I was happy to see my own excitement mirrored on the faces of our group.  We were able to get back to the skis with a single rappel, and in a few moments we were ready to feast on the fruits of our labors: several thousand feet of perfect light, dry powder.

At the end of the Mer du Glace glacier we climbed up metal staircase bolted to the rock slab above the glacer and took a gondola up to the Montenvers station.  From there, a cog railway brought us the final 2800’ of the descent to town in just a few minutes.  Impressively, the train was first opened in 1909, but it has since been modernized with the addition of overhead electric lines.  As the twin cars rumbled down the steep track we were treated to views of the vast expanse of lower elevation tree skiing that is available during many winters.  Unfortunately it had largely melted out during a thaw the week before, but the endless possibilities were still readily apparent.  Our ski of the Plan was certainly the most memorable adventure during my week in Chamonix.  It opened my eyes to the amazing access resources available to mountain travellers in France; between the lifts, the refuges, and the mountain guides, there is a lifetime and more of skiing just in the Chamonix area.  My only dilemma is: when can I go back?



About the Author

1. Ed Dujardin
After moving out west for college, Ed took summer school so he could spend winters in Crested Butte. These days, he coaches the Western State Colorado University Freeride Team, and spends as much time as he can fishing the incredible rivers of the area.




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